Work in underway across Kent to create an integrated health and social care system which aims to help people live as independent a life as possible, based on their needs and circumstances.

By bringing together CCGs, Kent County Council, District Councils, acute services and the voluntary sector, the aim will be to move to care provision that will promote greater independence for patients, whilst reducing care home admissions. In addition, a new workforce with the skills to deliver integrated care will be recruited.

Patients will have access to 24/7 community based care, ensuring they are looked after well but do not need to go to hospital. A patient held care record will ensure the patient is in control of the information they have to manage their condition in the best way possible. Patients will also have greater flexibility and freedom to source the services they need through a fully integrated personal budget covering health and social care services.

Examples of successful joint projects already underway include:

• Piloting  personal health budgets and integrated personal health and social care budgets
• Four integrated care centres, with long and short-term care beds, staffed by joint health and social care teams
• Integrated discharge services in acute hospitals in Kent
• An innovative ‘proactive care model’ in the South Kent Coast CCG area which is helping to prevent hospital admissions.
• Joint learning disability and mental health teams.
• Dementia Friendly Communities work including intergenerational work in many communities in Kent.
• Kent’s Advanced Assistive Technology Partnership has seen telehealth and telecare technologies rolled out across the county allowing people to monitor long-term health conditions at home.